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Streamlined Efficiency
Armin Langenegger, Medical Physicist at All
Saints Healthcare is proud that they are able to treat over 46
patients a day before 5 p.m. on one of their Varian linear
accelerators. He attributes this achievement to the streamlined
efficiency IMPAC’s system has added to their cancer center. All
Saints Healthcare, a community healthcare system in Racine,
Wisconsin has a state of the art approach to radiotherapy
treatment, generating treatment plans on Varian’s Eclipse
treatment planning computer, then transferring them via their
IMPAC oncology management system to their Varian linear
accelerators. They have used this approach to streamline their
IMRT treatment set-ups and to enhance their verification and
recording process.
Seamless Integration
All Saints has found that IMRT offers great clinical potential
for accurately treating patients; however, it also presents
significant demands on radiotherapy staff to effectively manage
the complex data required to plan, validate and deliver
treatments. All Saints uses IMPAC to download IMRT plans from
Varian’s Eclipse planning system into IMPAC’s electronic chart;
they then use IMPAC’s verify and record system to automatically
set up, verify, and record treatments. IMPAC’s verification
system supports machines capable of delivering step-and-shoot or
dynamic IMRT. Langenegger noted, “The seamless integration that
the IMPAC system provides gives a much higher degree of
confidence that the treatment delivered is exactly the treatment
planned.” All Saints has found that the quality assurance,
treatment verification, and data management features of the
IMPAC system have significantly helped to streamline the IMRT
process.
Full Integration
In 1993, the first IMPAC products were implemented at All Saints
with the objective of integrating scheduling, billing, record
and verify, and data management. According to Langenegger, “The
fully integrated nature of the IMPAC system enables consistent
transfer of the necessary treatment data wherever and whenever
it is needed. This approach provides a streamlined work
environment, increasing efficiency and patient throughput.” In
addition, the hospital has used the IMPAC system to improve its
billing efficiency, evaluate areas of expenditure and
consequently reduce its operating expenses.
Treatment Optimization
All Saints has found that by utilizing IMPAC’s integrated
solution they have enhanced communication between clinicians, as
well as optimized the communication between simulators and
treatment units. Since all information is shared on the network,
simulator images and treatment parameters are instantaneously
reviewed for verification and approval. This online access to
treatment data expedites the review process and shortens overall
patient treatment time. |
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All Saints Cancer Center
Armin Langenegger, Medical Physicist |
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[Email
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